What Good Is Faith? (James 2.14-26)
If a man tells you he loves his wife but never spends time with her, never assists her, never speaks to her, can he truly say he loves her? If a mother claims to love her children but does not care for their basic needs, do we not question the sincerity of her love? Words alone cannot carry the weight of such profound declarations. They demand action; they require evidence.
James confronts us today with a similar scrutiny towards our faith. In a world that often elevates sentiment over substance, James provides us with a resounding wake-up call: your faith, if it does not bear fruit, is nothing more than empty words. James pens a letter, not to soothe our ears, but to challenge our hearts. For faith, in its truest form, is not merely a declaration; it's a dedication—a lifelong commitment that manifests itself through our deeds.
Today, we explore not just what we claim to believe, but how our actions—or lack thereof—reflect that belief. This message is a call for a transformative faith; a faith that doesn't just say but does, doesn't just promise but performs.
By the end of this sermon, the aim is not merely for us to nod our heads in agreement but to rise to our feet in action. This is not about intellectual assent; it's about commitment. Let us delve deep, scrutinize our beliefs, and seek transformation—for transformation is not just God's desire for us; it is His expectation
What Good Is It? (14-17)
James 2:14–17 (ESV) — 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James begins his discourse with a searing question, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" He is challenging the essence of a self-professed faith that fails to produce a meaningful impact. "Can that faith save him?" James inquires, implying a resounding 'No.' It's a question that reaches through the pages of Scripture. No faith means no righteousness and faith without works is not faith at all.
Imagine for a moment, standing before a magnificent banquet table, lavishly adorned with the finest of delicacies. You declare your hunger and announce your admiration for the feast laid before you. But then, you merely stand there, never partaking of the meal. No matter how loudly you proclaim your hunger or how passionately you admire the food, if you do not partake, you remain hungry. Your declarations, no matter how earnest, are empty because they don't fulfill the purpose for which the banquet was prepared—to feed you.
You see, faith alone is like that unseized banquet—it's not fulfilling its God-given purpose. A faith that is not accompanied by works is like a tree without fruit, a river without water, a sky without stars—devoid of purpose and destined for decay. Ephesians 2:8-10 reminds us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith... not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." We are not saved by works, but we are most definitely saved for works.
The man in James 2:15-16 who sees a brother or sister without clothes and daily food, and offers them only well-wishes, embodies the emptiness of faith without works. His faith has failed to achieve its God-ordained purpose, much like a lamp that isn't shedding light or a well that yields no water. James concludes, "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." Dead faith is like a hollow echo, a barren field, a lifeless body—it's missing the very thing that gives it substance and significance.
Dear brothers and sisters, a faith that does not result in action is a faith that questions the very grace that it claims to stand on. Faith is not a dormant seed; it's a growing tree, intended by the Creator to bear the fruits of love, service, and obedience.
So, I ask you: What good is your faith if it doesn't lead to good works? If you say you believe, then where is the evidence? For faith, real, living, saving faith, is always expressed in works.
Show Me Your Faith (18-19)
James 2:18–19 (ESV) — 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Consider a musician who claims mastery over an instrument but never plays a note, or an athlete who professes love for the game but never sets foot on the field. Their claims lack the weight of action that turns words into indisputable reality. James pushes us into this sphere of tangible proof, stating, "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Believing in God's transformative power is commendable; it's the cornerstone upon which our faith is built. James even affirms this, saying, "You believe that God is one; you do well." But then he delivers a jarring reality check: "Even the demons believe—and shudder!"
In this stark comparison, James highlights the disquieting truth that mere belief in God's existence, while foundational, is not the full measure of faith. The demons believe in God, but this knowledge does not drive them to submit to Him or devote themselves to His cause. It's a faith that remains inert, trapped in the realm of intellectual acknowledgment. It's a faith that knows but does not act, believes but does not follow through.
So, if both the demons and we can assert that God is one, what then separates us? The answer is unsettlingly simple: the application of our belief through actionable faith. A faith that moves beyond the acknowledgement of God's sovereignty into a realm of tangible action and spiritual devotion is what distinguishes us from demonic faith.
James challenges us to ensure that our faith doesn't remain in the shallow waters of mere belief. He calls us into the deeper currents of faith in action, where intellectual assent evolves into a life of purposeful activity for the kingdom of God.
So, let it not be said of us that we merely believe. Let it be said that our faith is so vivid, so vital, that it cannot help but manifest itself in the things we do for God's glory.
Here Is Faith (20-26)
James 2:20–26 (ESV) — 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Next, James illustrates a working faith with two figures, a patriarch and a prostitute—Abraham, a revered figure in three world religions, and Rahab, a woman of the night from a pagan city. At first glance, these two appear worlds apart, yet they stand united, connected by a single, transcendent thread: a faith in God so robust, it propelled them into risky, life-altering actions.
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?" James asks. The story is familiar to us: Abraham, clutching the knife, tears streaming down his face, prepares to sacrifice his only son, the child of promise. Why? Because God had asked him to. His faith reached such profound depths that he was willing to surrender the very blessing through which God had promised to make him a great nation. It wasn't just a declaration of faith; it was an earth-shattering demonstration of it.
And then Rahab—a woman with a past, living in a city doomed for destruction. She hides Israelite spies, betraying her own people. She risks her life, all because she believed that Israel's God is the one true God. Rahab, too, takes an unthinkable risk based on her newfound faith.
James puts it succinctly: "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." Both Abraham and Rahab embodied this truth. Their actions were not casual gestures; they were likely the most challenging decisions they had ever made. Yet, they took these steps because they trusted God more than their instincts, more than their desires, and even more than their very lives.
Now, let us bring this home. The problem many of us face is not a failure to affirm the right doctrines but a failure to trust God deeply enough to let those doctrines change us. We don't offer our 'Isaacs'; we don't betray our families beliefs because we don't trust God with the outcome. At the heart of a faith that lacks works is a faith that lacks trust—trust that God is who He says He is, trust that God will do what He says He will do.
How about you? What is your 'Isaac' that you are holding back from God? What is your 'Rahab moment' that you're too scared to step into? Understand this: A faith that doesn't cost you something is a faith that ultimately gains you nothing. It is a faith that is dead.
Faith that is alive trusts God enough to act, even when the action seems perilous. Even when we can't see the outcome, even when we tremble at the possible ramifications. Because faith understands that the God we serve is greater than our fears, stronger than our failures, and merciful beyond our missteps.
This is the faith James calls us to—a faith in action, a faith that trusts, a faith that risks, and ultimately, a faith that lives.
Application & Conclusion
At the beginning, I asked you, “If a man tells you he loves his wife but never spends time with her, never assists her, never speaks to her, can he truly say he loves her? If a mother claims to love her children but does not care for their basic needs, do we not question the sincerity of her love?” Now, I ask you, “If you say you love God but never live for him, is it not right to question the sincerity of your love?”
We've explored the fallacy of a faith that doesn't work, we've confronted the unsettling parallels between mere belief and demonic acknowledgment, and we've been inspired by the unparalleled examples of Abraham and Rahab. Now, what's left is to turn our gaze forward and take that vital next step. We aren’t here to merely hear a message, but to be transformed by it.
Friends, the reality is this: none of us are beyond the reach of transformation. It's never too late to trade in a dormant faith for a dynamic one. Just as a tiny spark can ignite a roaring fire, a small step of faith can set into motion a life of meaningful action. This is the heartbeat of the Christian journey—a faith that not only believes but also acts. This is why God saved us. This is our purpose in life.
And the most empowering part? We are not left to figure this out on our own. Jesus Christ has gone before us. He is our ultimate example, the living manifestation of faith in action. His life, His sacrifice, His resurrection—they all shout a triumphant "Yes!" to every promise God has ever made. If ever we wonder whether faith can coexist with action, we need only look to the cross. Jesus believed, and Jesus acted. He trusted His Father completely and it changed the world forever.
So let this be a rallying cry for each one of us: No more sideline faith! No more hesitation or fear of failure! Let's lock arms and charge forward, propelled by a faith that trusts deeply, risks boldly, and loves extravagantly.
If you've felt your faith waning, if you've found your works lacking, take courage! With Jesus as our model and the Holy Spirit as our guide, we can bridge the gap between belief and action. We can live a faith that resonates in our hearts and echoes through our deeds, a faith that glorifies God and blesses humanity.
Let's rise to the occasion, embrace the transformation God desires for us, and step into a faith that follows through, for His glory and our good